UPDATE TO BELOW STORY....
The Who have done a 180 on their announcement last week regarding their dismissal of longtime drummer Zak Starkey.
Pete Townshend released a statement Saturday saying, "He’s not being asked to step down from The Who.
"There have been some communication issues, personal and private on all sides, that needed to be dealt with, and these have been aired happily.
"Roger [Daltrey] and I would like Zak to tighten up his latest evolved drumming style to accommodate our non-orchestral line up and he has readily agreed. I take responsibility for some of the confusion. Our Teenage Cancer Trust shows [last month] at the Royal Albert Hall were a little tricky for me. I thought that four and a half weeks would be enough time to recover completely from having a complete knee replacement. (Why did I ever think I could land on my knees?) Wrong!
"Maybe we didn’t put enough time into sound checks, giving us problems on stage. The sound in the center of the stage is always the most difficult to work with. Roger did nothing wrong but fiddle with his in-ear monitors. Zak made a few mistakes and he has apologized. Albeit with a rubber duck drummer.
"We are a family, this blew up very quickly and got too much oxygen. It’s over. We move forward now with optimism and fire in our bellies.
"As for Roger, fans can enjoy his forthcoming solo shows with his fabulous drummer, Scott Devours, who it was rumored might replace Zak in The Who and has always been supportive of the band.
"I owe Scott an apology for not crushing that rumor before it spread. He has been hurt by this. I promise to buy him a very long drink and give him a hug."
And Zak has issued a statement saying, "I'm very grateful to be a part of the Who family. Thanks Roger and Pete."
He also acknowledged his playing at the Albert Hall shows, saying, "Sorry Rog, I dropped a few beats … I’ll pick em up next time if I can. Apologies…
Check out Pete's original post about it here from his official Instagram page.
SPEAKING OF ZAK STARKEY.......
Zak Starkey — who's had a bit of an eventful week — recently shared an unreleased, all-star cover of T. Rex's "Children of the Revolution" recorded for a charity album that's yet to receive a proper announcement.
The cover, which you can hear below, features Axl Rose, Slash, Duff McKagan, Elton John and Starkey’s father, Ringo Starr.
Read More: Zak Starkey Leaks T. Rex Cover With GNR, Elton John + Ringo Starr
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The Who have let go longtime drummer Zak Starkey.
A spokesperson for Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey says, "The band made a collective decision to part ways with Zak after this round of shows at the Royal Albert Hall. They have nothing but admiration for him and wish him the very best for his future."
The Who played two shows last month at the famed London venue as part of the annual week of shows in support of Teenage Cancer Trust, which Townshend and Daltrey are patrons of.
There are reports that Daltrey felt overpowered by Starkey's drums at the second and final Albert Hall show, and that was the straw that broke the camel's back. While trying to sing 1971's "The Song Is Over" for the first time in concert, Daltrey complained about the drums, saying, “To sing that song, I do need to hear the key, and I can’t. All I’ve got is drums going boom, boom, boom. I can’t sing to that. I’m sorry, guys.”
Townshend made a suggestion to the sound crew and Daltrey was able to get through it.
Shortly after that show, Brian Kehew, the band's keyboard tech, wrote in his blog that Daltrey had decided not to wear his in-ear monitors for the Albert Hall shows in order to feel closer to the audience. "Without his in-ear monitors, Roger has us bring forward his rear wedge speakers, the ones that feed him drum sounds. This makes the drums feel closer to him, which is helpful.”
Starkey, who earlier in the week posted a snarky comment on his dismissal (check out Zak Starkey's original post about it here from his official Instagram page) says, "I’m very proud of my near thirty years with The Who. Filling the shoes of my Godfather, ‘uncle Keith [Moon]’ has been the biggest honor and I remain their biggest fan. They’ve been like family to me. In January, I suffered a serious medical emergency with blood clots in my right bass drum calf. This is now completely healed and does not affect my drumming or running.
“After playing those songs with the band for so many decades, I’m surprised and saddened anyone would have an issue with my performance that night, but what can you do? I plan to take some much needed time off with my family, and focus on the release of Domino Bones by [my band] Mantra of The Cosmos with Noel Gallagher in May and finishing my autobiography written solely by me. Twenty-nine years at any job is a good old run, and I wish them the best.”
Starkey, the oldest son and child of Ringo Starr, and who was given a drum kit by the late Who drummer Keith Moon for his 13th birthday, started playing with The Who in 1996 after first backing Daltrey in his solo band two years earlier.
Daltrey is the one responsible for putting The Who's touring band together, so there's a chance he could go with his solo band drummer Scott Devours when they do two shows in Italy in late July.
Or, could Pete Townshend get his wish, which he talked about last year in an interview with Mojo magazine.
“I’d get Simon Phillips on drums and Pino Palladino on bass, and I’d dig ‘Rabbit’ [keyboardist John Bundrick] out of his bed. And I’d get some fabulous shredding guitar player… but the problem is, they’d all be far, far superior musicians to me.”